of London and a riotous assemblage around the Houses of Parliament. Those who made the demonstration were principally working girls and working boys, a year or two in their teens, and beyond doubt of the working classes. They numbered several thousands, and were accompanied by men and women of their own class, without any admixture of the usual agitators. They assembled in the Bow-road at about mid-day, and they had with them huge placards with various "indignation" sentences, such as "What right has Government to ruin the match-makers to provide compensation for the army officers?" "Why should our industry be taxed?" "We work to live." The procession, headed by women and girls, moved down the Bow-road in a most orderly manner, and in perfect obedience to instructions given them to walk together and not to violate the law in any way, as a peaceable procession could not be prevented. In this, however, their instructions proved to be misleading, for at the Globe-bridge over the Canal, in the Bow-road, a line of policemen was drawn across the road, and not only the processionists, but all traffic was refused passage. The procession as such was thus broken up. While some of the petitioners made their way through the police ranks, others made their way out again into the Bow-road by other paths. At last, the procession was again formed, but on nearing the Mile-end-gate another obstructing line of police was formed, with mounted patrols. Again the people dispersed through highways and byways to assemble at Whitechapel Church, and thence, broken into three or four processions, they continued their march westward, some obtaining "lifts" on the way in waggons and carts.

One large body, formed almost entirely of boys and girls, came by way of St. Paul's Churchyard, Ludgate-hill, and Blackfriars, on to the Thames Embankment, where they anxiously inquired for the Houses of Parliament. Some of the boys carried broken boards which had originally placards on them, and these boards, the boys said, the police had broken up. One of the placards ran as follows: -"The proposed tax on matches. To the working men of London. Agitate, agitate, agitate, and insist on the withdrawal of this iniquitous tax on British industry. If it becomes law, it will throw thousands of poor families out of employment, paralyze trade, stop enterprise, and tax the poor for an article of daily consumption 300 per cent. Let us rise as one man and show the Chancellor of the Exchequer that we are not venal' and 'corrupt,' but earnest, provident, and honest."

The procession moved on to the Houses of Parliament, and had evidently stolen a march on the police, for it entered unopposed into the Westminster Bridge Road, and made the circuit of the Houses. This was about two o'clock, and while some strayed into New Palace Yard and into Westminster Hall itself, the main body stood about as if they had gained the whole object of their long march from east to west. Many were drifting towards the Thames Embankment, where the police, who had been quietly waiting in great numbers,

by their hard usage of the match-makers and spectators, converted what was before not an ill-behaved gathering into a resisting, howling mob. The banners and boards which had escaped destruction at the East-end were destroyed on the Embankment and thrown into the Thames. The people in return used stones freely, and, by all accounts, not without effect on the police.

In Westminster Hall, intermixed with the usual classes who curiously watch the members entering the House on occasions when public feeling is excited, were many of the match-makers, but a large force of police was suddenly marched into the hall, and commencing at the top swept nearly the whole body out.

The throng thus driven out of the hall into Palace Yard, and out of the yard into the thoroughfares beyond, swelled the now discordant crowds gathered there, in which were but few of the processionists; for many of them, bewildered and tired, had returned by the way they had come. The crowds watched every cab and carriage which was going towards the House, and it was easy to hear that they wanted to see Mr. Lowe. In this they were disappointed, for Mr. Lowe passed into the House unobserved, entering, it is said, by the underground passage. Mr. Bruce and Mr. Forster entered at the gates unnoticed, but Mr. Gladstone, who was escorted by a policeman, being recognized, was received with a hoot. Almost at the same moment Mr. Disraeli was driven through the gates in an open carriage, and received a cheer. The petition about which all this uproar was caused was privately presented.

25. THE TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS.-The first day of the Newmarket first Spring Meeting produced one of the largest attendances ever seen on Newmarket Heath. The following was the result of the great race :

Mr. T. Dawson's Bothwell, by Stockwell, 8st. 10lb. (J. Osborne) 1 Mr. Blaydon's Sterling, 8st. 10lb. (Cannon) 2 (J. Snowden) 3

Mr. Merry's King of the Forest, 8st. 10lb..

26. THE ELTHAM MURDER.-Early on the morning of this day a terrible murder was discovered at Eltham in Kent. The victim was Maria Clousen, a domestic servant in the house of a Mr. Pook, of Greenwich, whose son, E. W. Pook, was subsequently tried for the crime and acquitted under remarkable circumstances. (See Remarkable Trials.)

29. AN EVICTION SCENE.-The papers of this date contained an account of a remarkable scene which had taken place the week before at Dunmamoay, a small town in the County of Cork.

It appeared that an old man named Shea was tenant of a holding in the town which consisted of a market-house. The landlord, Captain Shuldham, wished to evict him under a decree obtained at the Bandon Sessions. Shea was nearly eighty years of age, and both he and his family were exceedingly popular in the district. Two attempts were made to put the decree in force. Against the first so strong an opposition was threatened that the effort was abandoned, the second was relinquished on the ground that as Captain Shuld

ham was high sheriff of the county he would not be justified in enforcing a warrant when he was himself the plaintiff. In order to meet the latter difficulty a special bailiff for executing the eviction was appointed, and as it was understood the latter functionary would be supported by a strong array of force, Shea and his friends resolutely prepared to resist the authorities in the most determined fashion. The market-house was regularly fortified. The lower part of the building presented its usual aspect, but the upper portion was garrisoned by the family and their sympathizers. The weapons of defence consisted of pitchforks, piles of stones, and brickbats, and holes were bored in the ceilings for the purpose of efficient discharges of the missiles. A body of constabulary, ninety in number, advanced in three columns to the attack. A crowd tried to prevent their approach to the market-house, but the police forced their way through with fixed swords. The women of the mob made a strenuous resistance. A "redoubt" in front of the building was held by a group of women under the command of the Miss Sheas, the daughters of the tenant, and while the constabulary were trying to capture this position a pike was being thrust at them by a sentinel stationed at a window overhead.

After a brief consultation the authorities commenced to demolish the woodwork of the internal staircase leading to the loft, and as the heavy blows and sound of crashing timbers resound through the building, they elicit shouts from the people without; as the work of demolition progresses, the crowd waxes more and more excited; and the police have some difficulty in holding them back. The pikeman at the upper doorway, under whose very feet the assault is being made within, exhibits the utmost sang froid, calmly smokes his pipe, and nods assent to the exhortations of the crowd-" Pike 'em; pike 'em!" The blows on the staircase are redoubled, the fabric is falling with loud crashes, and the pikeman vanishes into the interior amid cries of "Bravo! John." There is very hot work inside now. The platform closing the head of the stairs is being smashed with a sledge-hammer, and pikes, iron bars, and a long knife are thrust down through the opes in the woodwork to repel the attack. of these pike-thrusts slightly wounds one of the bailiffs in the neck, and then the orders are given in succession to the police within (now a strong armed party)—" Fix swords," and "Load!" The police return the thrusts of the garrison with their swords; and Constable Kilroy makes a dash at the pike which wounded the bailiff, and wrenches it from the grasp of the holder. The noise of the struggle is heard without, and there is intense excitement, but no attempt at active interference. The entire cordon of police now fix swords, and the utmost vigilance is needed to prevent the line being broken. Crash, crash fall the blows of the sledge-hammer within, and down comes the platform, covered with large stones, and half a man's person follows; he is seized and captured from below. The decree was in the end executed, and possession secured for Captain Shuldham.

One

MAY.

1. THE NEW INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.-The Prince of Wales, acting for the Queen, opened the first yearly International Exhibition of Fine Arts and Industry, in the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences, and in the adjoining newly-erected galleries, along the east and west sides of the Horticultural Society's Gardens, at Kensington.

The weather was bright and fine. The gallery between the Albert Hall and the adjoining conservatory, and the conservatory itself, were filled with about three thousand people, some of them wearing official robes or military uniforms. Among these were the Lord Mayor of London and many provincial mayors. The Prince of Wales, with the Count and Countess of Flanders, Princess Mary of Teck, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, Prince Teck, Prince Christian, and Prince John of Glucksburg, arrived at noon, attended by lords and ladies in waiting and officers of the Court. They came from Buckingham Palace; they were received by the Commissioners for the Great Exhibition of 1851, who had the management of this annual Exhibition. The Home Secretary of State, Mr. Bruce, and several other Ministers were there. The proceedings began with the singing of a psalm. A number of official persons were presented to his Royal Highness. The Royal Commissioners offered him their report on the arrangements for the Exhibition. The Prince declared the Exhibition opened, twice making audible proclamation, first on the dais at the south side of the conservatory, secondly from the balcony overlooking the gardens. This announcement was received with cheers, a blast of trumpets, and a salute of cannon. A procession was then formed, which walked all through the galleries of the Exhibition. The last part of the entertainment was a grand concert of vocal and instrumental music in the Albert Hall, including special contributions from Italian, French, and German composers, as well as a new cantata for the occasion by Mr. Arthur Sullivan, all conducted by Sir Michael Costa.

THE COMÉDIE FRANÇAISE.-The celebrated and historical company of this theatre, dating from the time of Molière, made their first appearance, as a troupe, out of Paris. The pieces played were the "Tartuffe " and " Dépit Amoureux" of Molière. În the first piece M. Bresant was Tartuffe and Mdlle. Favart Elmire. In the second M. Delaunay was Eraste, M. Got Marascille, and M. Coquelin Gros-Réné.

10. THE TICHBORNE CASE.-This most celebrated of causes célèbres (reported elsewhere in this volume) was called on before the Court of Common Pleas. Judge, counsel, and witnesses were present, but when the panel was called, only three jurymen out of the

twenty-two summoned answered to their names, and the hearing was deferred until the next day, when nine gentlemen answered to their names. Two others having been procured, and the counsel on either side agreeing to proceed with a juryman short, the case was proceeded with. Referring to the non-appearance of the persons summoned on the jury, the Lord Chief Justice said that he should enforce a fine of 107. on those who had not attended on the first day, 207. for the second day, and, if necessary, would double the fine day by day until it reached 5007.

15. MR. MILL presided at a meeting of the Land Tenure Reform Association, at the Freemasons' Hall. Mr. Mill said that after the great changes which had been made in our political institutions it was impossible that the laws relating to landed property should not come up for revision. He recommended that appeals should be made to the more enlightened landlords, of whom there were many, to exert themselves to assist the association in getting rid of past anomalies.

Mr. Mill, after referring to the past history of the land laws, went on to say that the principle laid down by the Land Tenure Reform Association was that landed property was subject to the will of the State. By the land he understood the whole raw material of the globe, not having been made by man, but the gift of Nature to the whole human race, which had been appropriated by the permission, express or tacit, of society; and society retained the right to revoke its permission. Speaking for himself, Mr. Mill said he should hold that that might rightfully be done if it were expedient to do it, and he did not know what might be reserved for us in the future. At present, he did not think it was expedient. He had so poor an opinion of State management, or municipal management, that he was afraid many years would elapse before the revenue realized by the State would be sufficient to pay the compensation which would be justly claimed by the dispossessed proprietors. It would require a higher standard of public virtue than we had yet attained to administer the lands by the State. The administration of waste lands was as much as we were capable of. At any rate, we ought to begin with that. Mr. Mill recommended that part of these lands should be kept open for the lovers of natural beauty, and the remainder leased in allotments at moderate rents to the poor. In this way new life might be imparted to the unfortunate agricultural labourer. The great estates of public bodies, Mr. Mill said, ought to be taken in hand by the State, and thoroughly reformed; and thorough reform would generally mean that the land should either be managed for them by the State or taken away altogether, and such as were fit to be continued should receive endowments instead. He had been told that one-fifth of London belonged to these bodies. If these lands were taken, facilities might be afforded for improved dwellings for the working classes. With respect to property in the hands of private owners, the association did not propose to take from them any part of the